Fertilizers



Patented Sept. 2 1952 I I UNITE S A ES v r rnnrruznns- Karl Heinz Hennenberger, Alberslntch-o1'1 -the- QdenwalrLj Germany, assignor .to Huttenchemie Q mb. H, ,Ma nh im thfinamrGefmaqm. a

limited liability company. of, Germany 1N0 Drawing. A' l fj ation Septem er 17;" rial 1810 2 41025. In- German "Feb 4 Claims.

This invention relates to fertilizers and more especially to a fertilizer containing besides phosphoric acid, also substantial proportions of manganese.

It is an object of this invention to provide a manganese containing fertilizer of higher effi- According to the present invention, therefore,

ciency than similar fertilizers hitherto known. decomposition of the crude phosphate mixed In the course of the last decade it has been with amanganese-containing material is effected found that the soil frequently shows a decided in areducing atmosphere. deficiency of manganese and that plants grow- It has been found by experiment that in a re-- ing in such a soil are exposed to the so-called ducing atmosphere in the furnace decomposition dry-spot disease. This particular phenomenon occurs far more quickly and better than accordhas been found in particularly great strength in ing to the Way hitherto followed and that greater oats and beans, however all other plants also sufyields per unit of time can be obtained than with fer under a deficiency of manganese which leads the process conducted in an oxidizing or a neuto special deficiency phenomena and poor yield. tral atmosphere.

By fertilizing the soil with manganese sulphate It has further been found that manganese, if

or mixtures containing this salt the disease could subjected to the reducing treatment, has a betbe fought successfully, but it was found that ter fertilizing effect. It is also possible, when these readily soluble manganese compounds have operating in a reducing atmosphere, to operate only a short life and action, because they are at lower temperatures because lower oxygen either quickly washed 'out or bound and rendered compounds of manganese have lower softening inactive in the soil. P 178- The manganese contained in Thoma phos- Another advantage of the treatment suggested phate to some extent alleviated a deficiency of according to this invention consists therein that manganese in the soil, however the comparain the fertilizer thus obtained the manganese is tively small and little efiicient content of manpresent in a different physiological form, viz. as ganese in Thomas phosphate could not lead to I a lower oxide. Tests have shown that the higher a fully satisfactory removal of these defects. oxides of manganese in the form of alkali com- While it is known to produce fertilizers conpounds sooner or later are reduced to lower taining phosphoric acid by decomposing crude oxides by the action of the soil bacteria. Howphosphates in the presence of materials c'ontain-, ever, since by producing the fertilizer in a reing an alkali and silica, for instance soda and ducing atmosphere the manganese contained sand by calcination or in the presence of the slag therein has the form of lower oxides, one saves resulting in the desulphurizing of pig iron with at least the period of time which would be resoda in a smelting process, the fertilizers obquired for the manganese to be reduced in the tained in this manner do not contain any per- 7 soil and therefore in the new fertilizer obtained centage of manganese worth speaking of. according to this invention the manganese will It has-therefore been suggested to add to the have a quicker action. mixture of crude phosphates With-materials con- 0 -A reducing atmosphere can be produced in taining alkali and silica, which were to be calthe furnace by adding H2 and CO in excess, but cined or smelted down, substances containing it may also be produced for instance by adding manganese, for instance manganese ores and to the mixture of minerals fine small duifor, in

slags or manganese-containing residual matter. the case of a smelting down decomposition, by These added materials contain manganese in a blowing coal dust or oil into the molten ma form in which it dissolves only with difliculty and In he Op a o o my invention I prefer to therefore their action is a more lasting one. In proceed for instance as follows:

the process of calcination or smelting the man- Example 1.A mixture of 100 parts by Weight ganese-containing material is decomposed large- Constantine phosphate, 18 parts soda, 12 parts ly and there results a compound of manganese 5o sand, 10 parts manganese ore containing 38% containing an alkali and calcium which is sol- Mn and 2 parts fine small coal was heated to uble almost entirely in a slightly acid liquid such calcination at a temperature of .1150 C. while as for instance a 2 percent citric acid. The parpreventing the entrance of oxygen in excess. ticular efiect of this manganese fertilizer is The product obtained showed a content of based on this readily solubility in slightly acid 4.1% Mn and 23.5% P205 soluble in ammonium soils. citrate.

the new fertilizer possessed a'particularly great I claim:

1. The process of producing a fertilizer which comprises heat-treating in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature leading at least to calcination, a mixture of crude phosphate with a material containing a substantial percentage of manganese and a material containing an alkali and silica.

2. The process of claim 1, in which the reducing atmosphere is produced by an addition of coal fines to the mixture.

3. The process of claim 1, in which the reducing atmosphere is produced by forcing fuel 7 oil into the molten mixture.

and lasting efliciency and that the dry spot dis ease was done away with altogether.

Various changes may be made in the proportions of the materials used in the process as well as in the conditions under which the process is performed, without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

4. The process of claim 1, in which the starting mixture is heated to a temperature above 1000 C.

KARL HEINZ HENNENBERGER.

N 0 references cited. 

1. THE PROCESS OF PROODUCING A FERTILIZER WHICH COMPRISES HEAT-TREATING INN A REDUCING ATMOSPHERE AT A TEMPERATURE LEADING AT LEAST TO CALCINATION, A MIXTURE OF CRUDE PHOSPHATE WITH A MATERIAL CONTAINING A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF MANGANESE AND A MATERIAL CONTAINING AN ALKALI AND SILICA 